George Singleton opines on the merits of the goldenrod flower

Goldenrod.

(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Wild goldenrod compared to mountain girl” was originally published in the Nov. 6, 1975 edition of The Monroe Journal in Monroeville, Ala.)

As the hot, sulky days of September and early October gradually pass from among us, the cool, lazy days of Indian summer begin to present themselves across the land.

Along with these days of carefree feelings and the lust for wandering comes the wild, beautiful flower, the Goldenrod.

The flower (some call it a weed) dots the open fields and roadsides for many a mile. The rich yellow blossoms sway in the winds as endless waves on the open sea, being tossed to and fro by the witch devils or whirlwinds as they swirl across the open fields.

There is no known use for the goldenrod, other than that maybe the Creator saw fit to place it upon the earth so that man might gaze upon its beauty and know that it has a place in the overall picture of the universe.

Nasal agitator

Many of us who suffer from hay fever or sinus are told that the goldenrod’s pollen does a great deal of harm toward the agitation of our nasal system. We find ourselves sneezing and coughing, the large tears streaming from our eyes whenever we get close to this wild, beautiful flower.

Most who suffer from these symptoms wish that the goldenrod didn’t exist – that there was some way to destroy all that remained across our land, and that the goldenrod would be forever cast on the winds of oblivion.

Then there are some who thought enough of the little flower’s beauty to make it our state flower during a past period.

For many years when we used to sing the stirring words of our State’s song, one could visualize the wild yellow goldenrod being tossed by gentle winds at harvest time.

Beautiful country maiden

As one watches and studies the hardy golden flower, he is reminded of a young, beautiful country maiden. One who has lived her young life in a type of competition against the trials and problems of outdoor living, yet remains as fresh and beautiful as the slender goldenrod that grows among the thorns and brush.

Sometimes I am of the opinion that maybe we might have made a mistake when we cast aside the goldenrod as our state flower. I’m not saying that the camellia isn’t pretty, but to me a state flower should represent the strength and endurance of its people.

The camellia has to be pampered and protected for it to survive, but the goldenrod survives unattended along the rocky slopes of our countryside. Its strong, slender beauty calls out to all who will listen and reminds us of that spacious land and skies that we often take for granted.

So each time I see the beautiful goldenrod in full bloom, even if my eyes run water and I sneeze with all my might, I think and compare it to the slender mountain girl – graceful, charming, beautiful, wild and with no fear of tomorrow.

(Singleton, the author of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of 79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born to Vincent William Singleton and Frances Cornelia Faile Singleton, during a late-night thunderstorm, on Dec. 14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School in 1946, served as a U.S. Marine paratrooper in the Korean War, worked as a riverboat deckhand, lived for a time among Apache Indians, moved to Monroe County on June 28, 1964 and served as the administrator of the Monroeville National Guard unit from June 28, 1964 to Dec. 14, 1987. He was promoted from the enlisted ranks to warrant officer in May 1972. For years, Singleton’s columns, titled “Monroe County history – Did you know?” and “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life magazine. It’s believed that his first column appeared in the March 25, 1971 edition of The Monroe Journal. He also helped organize the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society and was also a past president of that organization. He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work and memory alive.)